The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[Gardeningmama]

Good Morning Im up too.

Day 20 on my eggs in lockdown I cant wait til they start hatching. I also need to spend some time at my coops today at least to add some shaving to the coops. Have no clue how to clean them out in all this snow, I cant get a wheel barrel to the coops. Nevermind that I cant get the wheel barrel unfrozen from the ground lol. The coops need such a cleaning.

Coffee is ready.

I had to do it too. I used construction bags...they are now frozen to the ground next to my coop. I couldn't get them anywhere.

Quote: I have a buck & a doe we got ladt summer. The buck was a 2 day old bottle baby & will follow you anywhere. Only problem I have with him is nibbling & it's only because he thinks you have food for him. The doe is a witch! She was 2-3 months old when we got her & already off the bottle. She will try to sit down or pull away when being led & tries to poke you with her horns when you try to attach her chain to her collar. I don't even try to keep them in a fence. I just tie them out in a different place each day. Dog chains & collars work well. It's best to tie our doe to trees because she pulls stakes out of the ground. The buck has never even tried to pull his.

 

[cindynkidsd]

my rooster tiger lily and hen martha mae!

They're beautiful!

 

[uphilljill]

Good Morning Im up too.

Day 20 on my eggs in lockdown I cant wait til they start hatching. I also need to spend some time at my coops today at least to add some shaving to the coops. Have no clue how to clean them out in all this snow, I cant get a wheel barrel to the coops. Nevermind that I cant get the wheel barrel unfrozen from the ground lol. The coops need such a cleaning.

Coffee is ready.

We have the same problem. lol Plus, we cant get to our big compost pile, so no place to put it.

But I gotta clean out the coop and barn this weekend anyway to get ready for kidding. Should be fun.

 

[uphilljill]

Makes me laugh every time I see it...

 

[mnhomestead]

How do I sign up- do I just declare it here?

I have eggs in the bator now that should hatch the 25-26th, leaving me just enough time to clean it and get another batch going!

I have chick fever!

 

[mlm Mike]

I was getting ready to set more eggs tonight and found some pipping early! I am quickly getting the hatcher set up for some Dels and SG Dorkings!

Hooray for early pipping!

Crossing my fingers that I get fertile eggs in time. I have a TON of eggs already, and it's only Tuesday( I know it's Wednesday, but they haven't laid yet. Obviously...). Egg production was already pretty high over winter and now it has gone up even more. The rooster gave me a couple fertile eggs earlier in winter. Now that it's warming up I hope everyone has chicks on their minds. He was flirting a lot yesterday. Don't know if the hens were impressed or not. I think I'll go ahead and color a couple chicks if I get enough fertile ones in time for Easter.

Good luck!

Good Morning! Glad you guys are up! Been talking to myself here. The 'Martha Monologues'.

I've got a day of 'hurry up and get the coops cleaned out and drenched in Permethrin before the rain comes', kinda dreading it. Temps are going to drop drastically here too. Brrrrrrr!

Here too. I'm ready for spring.

Good Morning Im up too.

Day 20 on my eggs in lockdown I cant wait til they start hatching. I also need to spend some time at my coops today at least to add some shaving to the coops. Have no clue how to clean them out in all this snow, I cant get a wheel barrel to the coops. Nevermind that I cant get the wheel barrel unfrozen from the ground lol. The coops need such a cleaning.

Coffee is ready.

Good luck with the hatch!

I live in rural Lee county..south of I 88, west of I 39, north of I 80...middle of nowhere

I just took this picture of the "front yard"....still a winter wasteland wonderland!

That's pretty.

You know, I said I wanted goats too...so I got a pair of 5 week old sisters. Had I known what a pain in my hiney they would be, I wouldn't have gotten them! They are BRATS!!!! I cannot get Butterscotch to stop jumping the darn fence...and I cannot afford more fencing to make it higher (it's 4 ft). When it's time to feed them their grain, nine times out of ten it's scattered all over the place because they both are so pushy they end up knocking the scoop in my hand so the grain goes flying. If I bend down to do something inside their pasture, I end up with a goat on my back (which does NOT tickle). While I'm changing out their water, my hair gets yanked out by the roots because Caramel just LOVES the taste of my hair. If I have to move them from one pasture to another, I need a forklift. Butterscotch drops to the ground and will not budge...I end up having to lure her with a cup of grain to get her from one spot to another.

I have never met a more stubborn set of sisters! That goat milk I'll be getting NEXT spring (they won't be bred until this fall) had better be worth it!!! LOL

Edited to add: Maybe this is why I love my chickens so much more...compared to the goats, my chickens are ANGELS!!!

Well when you put it like that, maybe goats can be pains.

I woke up to rain that's supposed to start freezing by this afternoon. Snow would be preferable. Plus my roommate's daughter is home today puking. Gonna be a lovely day.

Same here, minus the roommates daughter.

LOL I agree. Luckily only one of my goats has jumped the fence once, knock on wood.

While I love my 2 little goaties they are sometimes a pain. With all the things you listed above lol. And like you I wont be breeding until fall for a NEXT spring kidding also. It sure is a long time to wait for milk. They are very lucky they are cute

They are cute!

Sounds like you need to be much more assertive with them! BTW when you go to walk them( they have to be taught

) If they drop to the ground I just drag them for a few feet and then stop, wait for them to get up ( whether it be forced or not ) and try again. When training grab a bit of grain and try to get them to walk a foot or so and reward. Eventually they get the hint that walking = food. Only reward if they stop where they were told to stop. Otherwise they think they are in charge. Then they start to cooperate. Sometimes it takes as little bit of time.

Crackers and carrots make great training treats.

How very precious! I think I'm seriously considering getting one! Help!

You should get two or three, I hope that helps.

 

[Arielle]

Just bought turkey eggs and the seller was more than happy to wait to ship until a few days before the set date for turkeys! yay. I haven't hatched turkeys yet so I am pretty excited. it is a mix of free range Heritage Blue Slate, Bourbon Red, and Narragansett so they should be cute little mixes! is there anything i should do different for turkey eggs vs chicken eggs?

Basically the same-- you can read the hatching info on Porters turkeys website-- look toward the bottom of his turkey list for complete hatching instuctions.

I got 10 more broilers & 5 buckeyes today. The pic is to show the growth between 2 days & 16 days on the broilers. These little beasts get big FAST!

Haahaaa-- the cornishxCrosses ( marans x cornishx) are twice the size of my buckeye chick with the same hatch date.

Quote: Our grocery store chains have some eggs at $4 and others at $2-- free range vs factory. I sell mine at $4 from the door; I saw at the farmers market it is $6/dozen. Of course they have to pay $250 for the privelege of selling.

Quote: Hey Pickin-- I've seen eggs here for $4, and the blue eggs for SIX is over $2. Eggs are valuable food sources!! Still a better buy than beef.

Quote: Buckeyes are good for foraging their food if you have that kind of space-- though production is lower than the two highlighted. Silver laced wyandottes sure are pretty though-- I have 2 and they are lovely.

 

[uphilljill]

Dominique
Blue wyandottes
Golden red sexlink
Barred plymouth rock
Buckeye pullets
Silver laced wyandottes

Except the sexlink which is a mix, they're all good dual-purpose American breeds.

It really depends upon your breeders "line," and if he's been focusing on the meat or egg qualities of each breed.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: ROFL. THis is why I don't have goats. lol Maybe a milking sheep?

I woke up to rain that's supposed to start freezing by this afternoon. Snow would be preferable. Plus my roommate's daughter is home today puking. Gonna be a lovely day.

Praying you don't pick up that bug, too!!

Quote: Wow-- these are truly a work of art!! LOL MR rooster is on the job-- lookout duty.

Quote: Reread the above post--- these cutiess do need a solid fence---then go for it!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I got 10 more broilers & 5 buckeyes today. The pic is to show the growth between 2 days & 16 days on the broilers. These little beasts get big FAST!

I have 25 that are 2 weeks old. Yep, they grow fast and poop A LOT!

Looks like I haven't been charging enough for my eggs either. I have been selling them 2 doz for $5 (so $2.50 a doz) to a high school friend and her extended family. I have been thinking about raising the price to $3 or $3.50 a dozen. We've got a fridge going into the shed to start a pseudo CSA on the honor system this summer with eggs and fresh veggies.

I look at grocery store prices and come up with a price accordingly. I look at all the prices, from the cheapie whites all they way to Organic.

I am estatic right now! My breeder just gave me a free chick from one of his hatches tomorrow! I may get 3 if I can!

Here are the breeds he is hatching:
Dominique
Blue wyandottes
Golden red sexlink
Barred plymouth rock
Buckeye pullets
Silver laced wyandottes

Which of these would have the best egg production?

The sexlink and BR would be the best layers. If you want a broody, then maybe a wyandotte.

Another inch or so of new snow this morning.....forecast called for 2-4 so feeling like we dodged one this time!
I'm getting lots of eggs right now.........I hope they keep it up for another two weeks!
Cute chicks Ron! Is the crele x sex linked?

Morning!

And Ditto on the chicks Ron! Very cute.

Good Morning ALL!

I woke up to this bit of humor...thought you might appreciate it, lol!​

I live in rural Lee county..south of I 88, west of I 39, north of I 80...middle of nowhere

I just took this picture of the "front yard"....still a winter wasteland wonderland!

Beautiful!

How do I sign up- do I just declare it here?

I have eggs in the bator now that should hatch the 25-26th, leaving me just enough time to clean it and get another batch going!

I have chick fever!

You just signed up. Welcome!